The following grants, funding and support programs are currently available through Agriculture Victoria to eligible applicants to help your business grow and succeed. See if your business can benefit from the following programs:
- Farm Safety Rebate Scheme – For investing in infrastructure and equipment to improve safety for farming families, workers and visitors to Victorian farms.
- Small-Scale and Craft Program – For businesses looking to scale-up operations, diversify product lines and expand outreach
- Animal Welfare Fund Grants Program – For animal shelters, animal foster carers and not-for profit and community vet clinics
- Seasonal Harvest Sign-on Bonus – For Job seekers who take up a seasonal harvest job on a Victorian farm
- Agriculture Energy Investment Plan Grants – For farm businesses who are looking to reduce energy costs, improve energy efficiency and explore alternative energy options
See below for more information
Farm Safety Rebate Scheme
Due to overwhelming demand the $3 million Farm Safety Rebate is now fully subscribed, and the program is currently closed to new applications.
Applications submitted under the program are being processed in date order. Rural Finance will directly contact existing applicants to advise about eligibility and if funds are available.
For further updates about this program, please visit Rural Finance
Small-Scale and Craft Program
The Small-Scale and Craft Program targets businesses looking to:
- scale-up operations
- diversify product lines
- expand outreach.
Applications for Stream One: Round Two Close 26 March 2021
Grants of up to $15,000 are available to eligible small-scale and craft agribusinesses for projects for the following types of projects:
- new equipment or small-scale infrastructure (including signage)
- technology adoption (training and on-going maintenance and service support costs are excluded)
- expansion into new markets, including market development strategies and export support
- brand development (including graphic design)
- product diversification.
Other eligible expenditure will be accepted on a per case basis. Projects must be completed within 4 months of the executed Grant Agreement.
To apply, read the guidelines first, which can be found on the Agriculture Victoria website.
Animal Welfare Fund Grants Program
The Animal Welfare Fund Grants Program was established to support improvement of companion animal welfare in the Victorian community. These grants recognise that companion animals play a significant role in the lives of Victorians.
The funding commitment includes:
- $1 million for animal shelters and foster carers to purchase equipment or upgrade or expand their services
- $2 million for not-for profit and community vet clinics to maintain and expand their services, and allow new low-cost clinics to be set up in areas of need around Victoria.
Current grants are available for Pet Desexing and Equine Rehabilitation with online applications for Round 1 closing at midnight on 11 April 2021.
The grant offers financial support to organisations that:
- provide free or low-cost de-sexing programs for cats and dogs owned by vulnerable and/or disadvantaged Victorians, or
- rescue, rehabilitate and rehome horses, ponies or other eligible equine species (refer to Glossary/definitions in the program guidelines).
Only 1 application will be permitted per organisation. See Animal Welfare Victoria for further information.
Seasonal Harvest Sign-on Bonus
Job seekers who take up a seasonal harvest job on a Victorian farm on or after Wednesday 17 February 2021 can apply for a Seasonal Harvest Sign-on Bonus. The $2,430 bonus is paid in two instalments:
- Bonus 1: $810, after 10 days’ work within a 30-day period
- Bonus 2: $1,620, after an additional 30 days’ work within a 90-day period.
You can only receive each payment once.
You can find more information on the Agriculture Victoria website.
Agriculture Energy Investment Plan Grants
The Agriculture Energy Investment Plan Extension supports farm businesses to reduce energy costs, improve energy efficiency and explore alternative energy options. Potential benefits include productivity improvements, energy and water efficiency gains, emission reduction and waste reduction, helping to sustain Victoria’s adaptable and internationally competitive agriculture sector. The Program is made up of:
- Assessments – providing On-Farm Energy Assessments to assist farmers in identifying where they may reduce energy costs
- Grants – to support farmers to invest in energy efficient or own-generation technology within existing energy policy
- Demonstrations – showing energy efficient or own-generation technology on-farm
- Skills and education – linking farmers and businesses to information and education resources
- Research – facilitating partnerships to commercialise research for the farming sector
On-Farm Energy Assessments are available free of charge for eligible businesses under the AEIP. Once an assessment has been undertaken applicants can apply for grant funding to assist them to purchase and install equipment that will support the improvements identified in their On-Farm Energy Assessment.
- Fast-Track Rebate – grants of up to $20,000 for farm businesses that have received a Type 1 or Type 2 on-farm energy assessment through the Agriculture Energy Investment Plan
- Tier 1 – grants of between $20,000 and $50,000 for equipment upgrades
- Tier 2 – grants of between $50,000 and $250,000 for projects seeking equipment or process improvements in a connected way across farming systems
Grants will be provided on a ‘dollar for dollar’ cash co-contribution basis. Recipients are required to contribute at least 50 per cent of the total cash costs of the project. See the Agriculture Energy Investment Plan Extension Guidelines or the Agriculture Victoria website for further information.
